High Sierra Topix

Hi and welcome to the forum.

For big mountain views you will need altitude and that in turn means snow. If you Nordic skipack, Hope Valley is a beautiful open meadow. Spooner Lake up North Canyon to Marlette Lake is also a nice nordic outing. Leavitt Meadows up the West Walker is flat and also would be a nice nordic skipack.

Since you are interested in snow free places, a couple come to mind that you might enjoy. My first suggestion would be Feather Falls. You could do one day to above the falls, a second day up into the Feather Falls Rec. area, then return. Depending upon the status of the bridge at Frey Creek, you could do a partially alternate route on your return from the falls to the TH. If the bridge is still out and you're willing to do a stream crossing, you still might take that lower trail on the return. The falls themselves are big and an attractive sight. Several miles beyond the falls you enter a sizeable canyon. This is not a crown jewel of the Sierra, but for something that is still a nice hike and nice scenery without snow, it's a great spring outing.

The other is not as long, but would put you in some rugged terrain at lower elevation. That would be the Nevada Point Trail down to the Rubicon River. It's a steep drop into a canyon and there is a sense of real wilderness down on the Rubicon, but it's only a couple of miles down. Great place to set up a fishing base camp and boulder around the river edge looking for fishing holes. Depending on flow level, if you want to bring belay gear and ford the river (bridge is washed out and this is only for experienced people), you can continue up the trail on the other side of the river.

If you come out to our lovely Sierra, have fun, be safe, and please post a TR.

If you have winter experience, I have done the north rim traverse in Yosemite first week of April, with snowshoes. I went up the Snow Creek Trail, hit snow on rim and snowshoed to Yosemite Creek, and then off with the snowshoes down Yosemite Falls trail. I have done the Pohono Trail before Glacier Point opens - in early May, plenty of snow to go through but no people. You can also get up the Merced River to Merced Lake early season. Mid-March is really to early, even for these early season hikes. Yosemite Valley is open and the trails on the sunny side (North Rim) are usually open year round. Great day-hiking.

Do the Lost Coast - the whole thing - a good 6-7 day trip.

Now that we have had rain, Henry Coe Park creeks should have water, and this is my favorite area for March trips. You can actually do a 5 day rigorous trip and could spend several weeks exploring with several 5-day trips.

Although I have not done it, what about the southern part of the Kern River?

Its ok, there are other better areas to go unless fishing is the main focus.

I like to visit sequoia groves in sping, and they can be very adventurous

Tom_H wrote:The other is not as long, but would put you in some rugged terrain at lower elevation. That would be the Nevada Point Trail down to the Rubicon River. It's a steep drop into a canyon and there is a sense of real wilderness down on the Rubicon, but it's only a couple of miles down. Great place to set up a fishing base camp and boulder around the river edge looking for fishing holes. Depending on flow level, if you want to bring belay gear and ford the river (bridge is washed out and this is only for experienced people), you can continue up the trail on the other side of the river.

Um, I hate to be "that guy" and I could be totally wrong, but is the Rubicon open to fishing in mid-March? I checked the regs and don't see it listed under the special regs section for waters that are open outside of the regular fishing season. Just saying...I could be wrong but would hate to see someone get a ticket.

papasequoia wrote:Um, I hate to be "that guy" and I could be totally wrong, but is the Rubicon open to fishing in mid-March? I checked the regs and don't see it listed under the special regs section for waters that are open outside of the regular fishing season. Just saying...I could be wrong but would hate to see someone get a ticket.

Well, that's a good question. I don't fish, but I did day hike down there in March and again in April of 2013 with two friends (guy & wife) who fished. I laid in the sand, read, and napped while they fished. They had licenses. The guy fishes all over the Sierra and AFAIK knows and follows all the rules. I will ask.

I grew up in the sierra and say "sierra's" often. Simple (naive) mistake made by many that know the sierra in and out. Thumbs up on Henry Coe. Great views to be had, and challenging terrain at times.